The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1887-09-29
THE POTATO CELEBRATION

This esculent, farinaceous tuber has
name and fame that have gone round the
the world. Wherever it is known, anc,
where it is not known, it is recognized as
excellent food for both rich and poor, and
is welcomed alike to the table of the
prince and peasant.
The turkey is a fowl of undoubted
American nativity, and yet it was popu-
larry. though improperly, christened after
the land of the Ottoman because of the
mistaken fancy that it found its first
home and successful introduction into
polite society in the Sultan's dominions.
In something of the same way the potato
came to have the country of its birth To-
Gated in the wrong hemisphere. 1t has
been generally credited to Ireland, and to
this day even well-informed persons make
the distinction between the sweet and
the Irish potato" The fact is, both
fowl and plant are true-born native
Americans and never required naturaliza-
ton here.
Few of the long-cultivated plants, es-
pecially of the ktchen-garden. have an
origin and history as clear as the pota-
to. The Spaniards in their conquest of
Central and South America, through
campaigns marked by their greed of gold
and cruelty almost without a parallel,
Were the means of introducing into Eu-
rope knowledge of the then almost I'M
known American continent, and of TAX
ing back across the sea many plants, ami
mails and articles that were wholly new
to the people of the elder hemisphere.
These rovers found the potato in the
neighborhood of Quito, and discovered
that it had long been raised by the simple
minded natives, who had received it and
the method of its cultivation from their
fathers. The Spanish armies were ac-
companied by the disciples of the Cross,
and one of these named Cardan is reput-
ed to have been the first to introduce the
potato into Spain.
high authority ascribes the introduce
ton of the popular tuber into England
to John Hawkins about 1868. This
Hawkins, is identified with that naviga-
tor who laid the foundations for the slave
trade in which so many lordly families In
England grew rich and powerful until
the moral sense of the English people be-
came SO aroused through the agitation of
Wllberforce and his co-workers, that the
government was compelled to put stop
TO the traffic Other authors identity the
plant which Hawkins and Drake took to
the kingdom of the Virgin Queen, with
the sweet potato. In 1886 potato tubers
were carried from North Carolina and
Virginia to Ireland, by returning colo
nists who had been sent out 10 America
by Sir Walter Raleigh. There can be no
doubt that that nobleman was the first
to have the potato cultivated there, and
his estate near Cork is noted as the place
where this was done. Thus it was that
Ralelgh's name became inseparably con-
nected with the potato. The beginning
of the popular favor accorded this new
article of food is directly traceable to him.
As early as 1887 the potato had assumed
such Importance that it was not unfre-
quently mentioned by the writers of that
period.
Since that period the potato has been
planted and popularized in every civiliz-
ed country. Three centuries of culture
have worked wonders in its nature, but
of the multitude of varieties that have
been produced all have the characters
tics of the original specimen taken from
Carolina soil. With the years it has
grown III favor, and is in more general
use now than ever before. With such a
record, it is interesting to note that Eng
land is soon to add to the multitude of
celebrations "a potato ter-centenary."
AS it is three hundred years since it was
introduced into the United Kingdom it
is proposed early in December to proper
ly observe the anniversary. 1t is the pur-
pose to hold an exposition in London of
all things relating to the potato. Those
who have the celebration in charge are
busily engaged In collecting all the litera-
ture on the subject that is obtainable, all
the articles that have been published re-
lating to the culture, ETC., and specimens
Of all varieties that can be procured 1t
certainly will be an interesting event and
one which may be made of much interest
and great practical value to the world.